The Guiding year that was!
As the sun sets on another stellar year, it’s time to gather around the campfire and relive the magic that defined the 2023 Victorian Guiding year.
From the bustle of Jamboree and the triumphant moments of Lady Stradbroke Cup to the inspiring actions taken during August Action and International Day of the Girl, the past 12 months have been a whirlwind of unforgettable adventures, community-focused missions, and growth.
2023 in numbers
Month-by-month highlights
January
After years of planning and organising, we were delighted to welcome over 1,400 participants to the Kani-Karrung Australian Girl Guide Jamboree 2023 at the magnificent Victoria Park in Newington, Ballarat. What a time the Australian Guiding community had!
We laughed, danced, kayaked, climbed, painted, cycled, paddled, cooked, dragon-boated, crafted, adventured, caved, badge-swapped, flew, surfed, hiked and sang our way through an unforgettable week.
February
February was a flurry of fun, colour and solidarity when Girl Guides Victoria members and staff took part in the annual Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda.
We welcomed Guides, Leaders, Olaves and supporters from across Victoria – from Narre Warren to Wangaratta – who came together under the World Flag to march down Fitzroy Street in a sea of rainbows.
March
Casey District Girl Guides flew high for their chosen charity Heart Kids VIC in the Moomba Birdman Rally 2023.
Girl Guide Pilot Georgia and her superhero Guide crew put in a magnificent team effort to prepare for the event, from designing and building their aircraft from recycled and sustainable materials through to promotional activities to garner donations and support. And raised an impressive $2,100 in important funds for their chosen charity — BRAVO, Casey District Girl Guides!
April
Queen’s Guide and Olave-Baden Powell Award recipients were celebrated in a special ceremony at Government House.
Guides and their families joined Scouts from across Victoria for the special occasion at the invitation of the Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO, former Governor of Victoria and President of Girl Guides Victoria, and her husband Mr Anthony Howard AM KC.
The rainy Autumn Melbourne weather didn’t have a chance of dampening everyone’s spirits as the ceremony unfolded on the prestigious Government House lawn!
May
Over 100 of our youngest Guides took part in our Snoozerella Discovery Sleepovers at the Bendigo Discovery Centre. They had an awesome time exploring and discovering aspects of STEM through interactive activities, star gazing and having a blast on the vertical slide, before bedding down for their mega sleepover!
June
Winter adventures galore! Once June arrived, Guides enjoyed an array of memorable outdoor activities with their Units, Districts and Regions. From bushwalking, abseiling and painting in the great outdoors to visiting Puffing Billy and Billy Cart racing, nothing stopped our Guides from getting out and about in winter!
July
August
Guide Units from across Victoria focused on caring for and supporting animals of all shapes and sizes, as part of our annual August Action challenge. Our Guiding community chose to support our state-wide August Action charity partner RSPCA Victoria and a host of local animal charities and organisations.
Guides took part in blend of fun and informative activities, from learning what to do if they spot injured wildlife, to putting together care bags for animals in need, to meeting and cuddling new animal friends, to baking up a storm! It was great to see everyone approach August Action 2023 with so much heart and creativity.
September
Snoozefest time! Guides had a HUGE night of fun sleeping under the stars and soaring through the air on theme park rides at Gumbuya world for Snoozefest 2023, our annual mega sleepover for Guides aged 10-17.
Snoozefest 2023 served as a big reminder of what Guiding is all about — community, connection and friendship. And lots of FUN!
October
October was all about International Day of the Girl! We honoured the 2023 theme Prepared to Change the World by asking girls of all ages how girls are prepared to change the world, and collating their responses into a special video. The girls who responded went above and beyond answering this question with their insightful, empathetic and unapologetically authentic responses.
Thank you to all the girls who contributed!
November
Guides (made up of 15 patrols) and Leaders put on their ‘determined camper’ hats for the 2023 State Lady Stradbroke Cup — and had an incredibly rewarding and fun time doing so!
BRAVO to participating Guides for stepping outside of their comfort zones, drawing on their existing outdoor camping skills, and developing new ones in a such a fast-paced and competitive environment. They well and truly rose to the challenge!
December
December is the month of magical new memories! Whether they were camping away from home for the very first time, acing challenging trail rides, or celebrating the end of a wonderful year with their Guiding friends, our Guides won’t be forgetting December in a hurry!
